Tag Archives: Monster kids

Raising Modern Monster Kids Takes Effort By Monster Kid Parents

In the 1960s and 70s, classic monsters were everywhere! On TV, Halloween costumes, model kits, toys, comics, coloring books…growing up in the “monster boom” was great. If you were a lucky monster kid, your parents supported, even encouraged your love of monsters. Regardless, it wasn’t hard to surround yourself with the things you love.

Today’s kids have incredible access — they are growing up in an on-demand, always-on world that puts the world at their fingertips. They have networks dedicated to cartoons, not just an after school block of time and Saturday mornings. Gone are the days of scouring the TV Guide for anything monster-related to watch and then doing everything in your power to not miss it. But access to so much media means that classic monsters aren’t really in the mix for today’s kids.

I read a lot of 1960s / 70s Monster Kids (and adults in general) talking about how today’s kids are spoiled and how we grew up in the good old days. I don’t dispute that we grew up during an amazing time and we’re lucky to have done so. But I’m not so quick to throw today’s kids under the bus.

Raising Modern Monster Kids requires effort by Monster Kid Parents.

I’m a parent of grade school kids, and while they have tremendous access to all kinds of entertainment, the classic monsters aren’t really in the mix. Sure, there’s the Hotel Transylvania movie franchise, but I’m talking about the real classic monsters. I could simply bemoan this fact and wax poetic about how my childhood was the good ol’ days. But that’s not how I roll. I’m raising my kids as modern monster kids by proactively exposing them to the classic monsters I grew up loving (and still do, obviously, since I have this blog).

Recently, I scanned a printed some pages from my favorite 1970s monster coloring book, Monster Gallery, and my kids and I spent a chilly March afternoon coloring. If you had this book as a kid, or want to learn more about it, please read my recent post and check out all every page of this fantastic coloring book: Colors of a Monster Kid: The Monster Gallery Coloring Book

it was great fun, and the kids picked their favorite monsters to color. My 9 year old loves the Wolf Man. He is not a natural artist and almost never finishes a picture when he’s coloring. But this was different. As you can see, not only did he finish it, he did a great job and really focused on it. He had fun doing it and it shows. Here’s his finished art:

My 11 year old daughter, who loves all things ancient Egypt, picked the Mummy. Anyone who follows me on Instagram or is friends with me on Facebook knows that she is artistically talented (I’m constantly posting pictures she has drawn). So getting her to sit down and color with me isn’t a challenge like it is with my son.

I can rarely pass up the Fly, simply because I like a little sci-fi with my monsters:

I’ll continue to journal my efforts to raise modern monster kids here and share my success (and failures) along the way. In case you missed them, here are some of my past writings on my effort to raise modern monster kids:

2015 Rondo Classic Horror Awards – my annual kick-in-the-pants

Monster Kids spend a lot of time reminiscing about the bygone days of childhood. The glorious 1960s and 70s are gone but not forgotten. The 2015 Rondo Classic Horror Awards remind us that ‘classic’ doesn’t have to mean ‘vintage.’

We love our classic monsters, our retro sci fi and our vintage collectibles. Occasionally, we can use a good kick in the pants to remind us that many of our fellow monster kids are creating modern classics in the spirit of the golden age of classic monsters and sci fi.

The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards serve that purpose for me. Just look at the list of nominees below. I was blown away at the pure quantity of high-quality creativity my fellow monster kids gave us last year. The least I can do is show my support by casting a ballot.

I thought it would be fun to share my personal ballot. I’m sure every reader’s ballot will be different than mine. That’s great! The point is to vote — so check out my ballot and then click here to cast yours.

Please note, I only make informed votes. If I haven’t watched, listened, read or attended something, then I can’t make an informed vote. I certainly wish I had the time to consume every morsel on this incredible list, but I remain mortal. So please understand, all you creators out there, my lack of vote only means I have’t gotten to your creative output yet–but my To Do list has gotten a lot longer since comleting this ballot!

My 2015 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards Ballot

1. BEST MOVIE OF 2014

– AS ABOVE, SO BELOW

– THE BABADOOK

– DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

– DEAD SNOW 2

– DRACULA UNTOLD

– EDGE OF TOMORROW

– GODZILLA

–X GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

– THE HOBBIT: BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

– INTERSTELLAR

– MALIFICENT

– OCULUS

– ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE

– THE QUIET ONES

– SNOWPIERCER

– THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN

– X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

– Or write in another choice:

2. BEST TELEVISION PRESENTATION

– AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN, ‘The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks,’ 1.8.14, FX. The mystical rock goddess herself is recruited at the school by Fiona. ‘Don’t be a hater, dear. It’s a theramin.’

– DOCTOR WHO, ‘Listen,’ 9.13.14, BBC America. At the end of the universe, the Doctor reveals what he’s really afraid of. ‘The clock’s stopped. This is the silence … at the end of time.’

– GRIMM, ‘Chupacabra,’ 12.12.14, NBC. A legendary monster is more than it seems. ‘My grandmother used to blame the Chupacabra for everything — dead relatives, missing pets, even lost keys.’

– ORPHAN BLACK, ‘By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried,’ 6.21.14, BBC. Season Two finale finds the clone conspiracy deepening. ‘I like your hairs.’

– PENNY DREADFUL, ‘Grand Guignol,’ 6.29.14, Showtime. A sudden transformation turns an ally into a monstrous menace. ‘Pull the trigger. I’d rather be the corpse I was than the man I am.’
– SLEEPY HOLLOW. ‘The Indispensible Man’ > ‘Bad Blood’, 1.20.14. Two-part finale shakes Tarrytown with the identity of War and George Washington’s secret. ‘I married a witch. How cool.’

– THE STRAIN, ‘The Third Rail,’ 9.21.14, FX. Searching for the Master in a subway tunnel beneath the World Trade Center. ‘I will take everything from you. Your son. Your wife. I am a drinker of men.’

7. BEST DVD EXTRA

(didn’t vote)

— THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (Kino), Caligari: When Horror Came to the Cinema. 52-minute documentary.
– COUNTESS DRACULA: Immortal Countess: The Cinematic Life of Ingrid Pitt– THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS, Interview with executive producer Mel Brooks and others.
— JUDEX (Criterion), Franju de Visionnaire, a 1998 French documentary.
— LEGEND OF HELL HO– USE: Interview with director John Hough
– THE INNOCENTS (Criterion): Interview with cinematographer John Bailey about Freddie Francis.
— NIGHTBREED: THE DIRECTOR’S CUT: Tribes of the Moon: Making Nightbreed
— PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE: Interview with Paul Williams and Guillermo del Toro.
— PIT AND THE PENDULUM (Arrow), Behind the Swinging Blade, directed by Calum Waddell.
— PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (Scorpion). 20 minutes of original Kendall Schmidt score not available on video.
— Or write in another choice:

8. BEST DOCUMENTARY

– AS TIMELESS AS INFINITY: THE TWILIGHT ZONE LEGACY, directed by Daniel Griffith. New interviews and history of the classic show. See video clip here.

– CLAWING: A Journey Through the Spanish Horror, directed by Victor Matellano. Tracing the Spanish horror boom from the 60s to the 80s. See video clip here.

– FANTASM, directed by Kyle Kuchta. An eye-opening visit to six horror conventions. See video clip here.
– THE GREEN GIRL, directed by George A. Pappy Jr. The bright but unfulfilled career of Susan Oliver. See video clip here.

9. BEST INDEPENDENT FILM

– A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. More chills than politics with a vampire girl in Iran.See video clip here.
— ASMODEXIA, directed by Marc Carrette. The chilling adventures of a traveling exorcist. See video clip here.
— ATTACK OF THE GORILLA, directed by the late Dave Shaw. Send up of a 50s monsterfest. See video clip here.
— CALL GIRL OF CHTHULU, directed by Chris LaMartina. Be careful who you hook up with! See video clip here.
– CHIP & BERNIE’S ZOMANCE, directed by Pasquale Murena. Undead wackiness, with Tim Conway. See video clip here.

– THE CARETAKERS, directed by Steve Hudgins. The care and feeding of a vampire leads to complications. See video clip here.

– THE HANOVER HO– USE, directed by Corey Norman. A tragic car accident is just the beginning. See video clip here.

– HO– USEBOUND, directed by Gerard Johnstone. Sentenced to a Gothic home of horrors, including a zany mother. See video clip here.

– THE HOUNDS OF ZAROFF: The Most Dangerous Game as a Persistent Muse to the Movies, by Michael H. Price and George Turner (Create Space, softcover, 252 pages, $25). How the classic humans as prey horror has influenced movies, TV and today’s reality shows.

– THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF DON POST STUDIOS, by Lee Lambert (Dr. Shocker presents, 494 pages). A limited edition history of the legendary monster mask studio.

—I SAW WHAT I SAW WHEN I SAW IT: Growing Up in the 1950s and 1960s with Television Reruns & Old Movies, by Frank J. Dello Stritto (Cult Movies Press, hardcover, 415 pages, $30). How horror films and TV intersected with real life in post-war New Jersey.

– LIONEL ATWILL: The Exquisite Villain, by Neil Pettigrew (Midnight Marquee Press, softcover, 328 pages, $25). Far beyond the horror roles, but those are here too, the tragic life and career of one of horror’s most familiar character actors.

– MOST DANGEROUS CINEMA: People Hunting People on Film, by Bryan Senn (McFarland, softcover, 296 pages, $45). A survey of the most dangerous films of all.

– THE OUTER LIMITS AT 50, by David J. Schow with Ted C. Rypel (Creature Features, softcover, 150 pages, $24.95). Crystal clarity about the show, along with rare behind-the-scenes photos, props, new artwork and analysis.

13. BEST ARTICLE (Please select two; one will win)

– ‘Anthony Hinds,The Man Who Made Monsters,’ by Denis Meikle, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #32. A tribute to the late Hammer architect in his own words from interviews and correspondence.

– ‘Arkham House Publishers — 75 Years of Scares!’ by Mark C. Glassy, Ph.D, SCARY MONSTERS #94. A collector’s look at the 1939 publishing house that preserved HP Lovecraft’s work.

– ‘The Bell-Ringer of Hollywood,’ by Michael F. Blake, SCREEM #28. Setting the record straight on myths behind the filming of the 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame.
––‘Carnival of Monstrosity: The 70th Anniversary of House of Frankenstein,’ by Greg Mank, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #33. The inside stories behind Hollywood’s first monster rally.

– ‘The Complete Godzilla Chronology,1954-2004,’ by August Ragone. FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #274. Every stomp, every film assessed by a master Tohologist.

– ‘Days of Future Past: Remembering The Outer Limits,’ by David J. Schow, SCREEM #29. Why the sci-fi show’s transmission matters even more today.X ‘Dick Smith — An Appreciation of the Master of Make-Up,’ by Scott Essman, BELOW THE LINE (film crew industry website). A look at the man who changed the face of Hollywood.

– ‘Family Man,’ by James Gracey, DIABOLIQUE #20. How the films of Tobe Hooper disrupted the traditional film family.

– ‘For the Love of Schlock,’ by Nathan Hannemann and Aaron Crowell, HORRORHOUND #46. A full 56 films, some beloved cult favorites, are given a fun schlock-meter rating.

–‘Ghost Stories for Christmas,’ by Kier-la Janisse, VIDEO WATCHDOG #176. Examining the British love of ghosts at the holidays.

– ‘Lady Impunity,’ by Max Weinstein, DIABOLIQUE #22. The blood-filled legacy of the life of Countess Elizabeth Bathory.– ‘Loving the Unloved Giant Behemoth,’ by Stephen R. Bissette, MONSTER! #12. Reconsidering the often maligned radioactive beast that trampled London.
– ‘The Making of Dracula, Prince of Darkness,’ by Bruce G. Hallenbeck, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #33. An in-depth look at the sequel that brought back Christopher Lee.

– ‘Marshall Thompson: Straight Arrow,’ by Debbie Painter, CLASSIC IMAGES #470. New insights into one of the more familiar scifi heroes.

– ‘The Monster Movie Art of Feg Murray,’ by Pierre Fournier and George Chastain. FRANKENSTEINIA blog. How the syndicated ‘Seein’ Stars’ cartoons of the 1930s highlighted classic monsters.– ‘The Mysterious Launch of Spaceship 1,’ by Jon C. Rogers. FILMFAX #137. Revealing the forgotten science fiction film of 1930s Germany.– ‘Nuclear Dragon: Godzilla & the Cold War – 1954,’ by Allen A. Debus, G-FAN #105. The real-life incident, initially covered up, that inspired the first Godzilla film.X ‘O’Brien vs. Dawley: The First Great Rivalry in Visual Effects,’ by Stephen Czerkas, CINEFEX #138. New facts about the little-known feud between Willis O’Brien and Herbert M. Dawley that almost derailed production of The Lost World.– ‘The Real Malificent: The Surprising Human Face Behind the Sleeping Beauty Villain,’ by R.H. Greene, SALON website. The untold tale of how Vampira was one of the live-action models for Disney’s evil witch.
– ‘Recording Hammer Memories,’ by Ted Newsom, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #33. Lining up interviews with reclusive horror stars is a story in itself.

– ‘Reviving the Vampire: Dracula on Stage in 1943,’ by Bill Kaffenberger and Gary Rhodes, FILMFAX #138-139. Through clippings and interviews, tracking Lugosi’s U.S. Dracula tour.– ‘A Scary Childhood in the Bronx,’ by Dennis P. Mitchell, SCARY MONSTERS. A continuing chronicle of films and double-bills seen in the 1950s.

– ‘Siodmak’s Brain,’ by Scott MacQueen, FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE #76. A poignant portrait of visits with Siodmak in the twilight of his years.
– ‘A Triple Life: King Kong’s Trinity of Reincarnation on Film,’ by Steve Vertlieb, GULLCOTTAGEONLINE. A look at the three major Kong eras.
– ‘Universal’s Dracula,’ by Martin Arlt, MAD SCIENTIST #29. Viewed with fresh eyes, an assessment of the 1931 Dracula.

22. BEST HORROR COMIC OF 2014

– AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla. (Archie). Zombies in Riverdale are no joke.
– BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE #4 by various. (Monsterverse). More rather grim tales from the Count’s archives.

– CARBON by Daniel Boyd, Edi Guedes, Alzir Alves (Caliber). Prophetic horror from a Garden of Eden.
– CLIVE BARKER’S NEXT TESTAMENT, by Barker and Mark Miller (Boom!) Is it God, the devil or both?

AGAIN, TO VOTE simply copy this ballot and make your picks by highlighting your selection, or by putting an X by your selections, or by typing out your picks separately. Whatever is easiest. Then e-mail your picks to taraco@aol.com

And thanks, whatever you are!

Copyright 2015 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards

Wrap up

So there you have it! My ballot. I wish I could say my vote was fully informed and that I had read, seen, attended and listened to every nominee on this massive ballot, but I haven’t. What I am going to do is add much of this ballot to our Monster Collector Resources page for future reference and then I’m going to add all the movies I haven’t seen to my Amazon Instant Video queue.

In the spirit of keeping this post from getting way too long, I didn’t include my Write in votes…perhaps in a future post.

Do you agree with any of my votes? Disagree?

Share your favorites in the comments section below

(please keep it clean and polite–no need to get nasty as we’re all Monster Kids here.)

Collecting King Kong Aurora Models & Kits

Any article about collecting King Kong 1933 merchandise has to include these influential monster models from Aurora Plastics. Collecting King Kong Aurora Models is often the highlight of any King Kong collection.

It’s hard to think of any one thing that had as great an impact on the 1960s monster mania as Aurora Plastic Corporation’s monster model kits. The triumverate of Shock Theatre, Famous Monsters of Filmland and Aurora’s line of monster models almost certainly combined to create an entire generation of Monster Kids, who were lucky enough to be pre-teens in the early 1960s.

I didn’t come along until 1966, but I can relate to those Boomer kids, as I shared their wide-eyed wonder when I discovered the 1970 re-issues of these Aurora kits on the store shelves. For many, collecting classic monsters starts–and in all reality, could stop– with Aurora model kits.

King Kong wasn’t in the very first set of kits released. Kong made his debut, along with Godzilla and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, in 1963 and was an instant commercial and monster kid favorite, despite some serious scale issues (palm trees hit Kong in the ankles and Fay Wray was about knee-high).

The following is a complete listing of Aurora’s King Kong models and variations:

Recommended Reference Guide:

This book is a must-have for monster model kit collectors, and a good read for any monster kid who simply wants to learn more about these influential collectibles on the 1960s/70s monster craze.

While I’d love to see an updated edition (2nd edition was released in 2006) it has an excellent Kit Directory categorizing every kit and variation and providing useful detail to help in identifying the age / value of kits you are considering buying. This exhaustive catalog of every make/model is useful and timeless. For collectors, the price range to buy these kits today may be slightly dated, but the information on determining the age of the model kit is extremely useful when considering a purchase.

Monster Kid Memories

Monster Toy Exhibit at Minnesota History Center

In the summer of 2014, my family visited the Minnesota History Center in St Paul. The museum has just kicked off an exhibit that I couldn’t wait to see called Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. As we worked our way through the excellent exhibit, we arrived at the 1970s room and there– right in the center of it all — was my childhood on display. An entire section dedicated to monsters and superheroes. Aurora model kits, Mego action figures and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. I was immediately transported back in time; transfixed and flooded with memories that I hadn’t consciously recalled for decades.

My family was patient — and I finally continued through the rest of the exhibit, only to find myself drifting back through the crowd to the monster display. I’d be inclined to blame it on a mid-life crisis given my age, but I’ve been an active comic book collector for most of my adult life, so my passion for childish things wasn’t new– my wife was more than aware of it when she married me. No, it was the monsters. As much as I love superheroes and comics, I had forgotten the monsters. And for as long as I can remember, I’ve loved monsters.

When I got home that afternoon, I tracked down the collector whose toys were featured in this exhibit, and it turns out they belong to fellow Minnesotan, Dave Barnhill. According to his bio on his website SuperMonsterCity.com, “David’s collection now includes more than 200,000 items, making this Minnesota-based collection one of the largest private toy collections in America. Containing rare and highly sought after items representing toy-makers and monster creators from across the US and several foreign countries, David co-founded SuperMonster市 City! because he is eager to share his joy in toys, monsters, superheroes and villains with the world. I highly encourage checking out his site, specifically his Monster Toy Gallery.

And that’s all it took– George the Monster Kid had risen from the grave and my love of classic monsters was alive, ALIVE!